The President of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Charles Nyaaba, has raised concerns over the plight of rice farmers in northern Ghana, revealing that approximately 200,000 metric tons of locally produced rice remain unsold.
He described the situation as critical, noting that many farmers have been unable to sell rice stored in warehouses since 2024. With the new harvest season already in progress, he warned that the problem could worsen if no immediate action is taken.
Mr. Nyaaba disclosed that both paddy and milled rice are piling up across the northern regions without buyers.
“From what we have gathered, no less than 200,000 metric tons of rice remain unsold,” he stated.
Calling it a “life-and-death” situation for many farmers, Mr. Nyaaba appealed to the government to release funds to the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to purchase the excess rice, as was previously promised.
“We are not asking for fertiliser subsidies this time. What we need now is survival. The government, particularly the Finance Ministry, must release money to NAFCO immediately,” he urged.
He further cautioned that funds disbursed to NAFCO should not be mismanaged through middlemen or importers but rather used directly to buy rice from local farmers and millers, who have the capacity to supply the market.
In addition, he called for a temporary suspension of rice importation and tighter border controls to curb the smuggling of foreign rice into the country.
“We are calling for a temporary ban on rice imports and stricter enforcement at illegal border points. Customs and security officials must intensify their efforts to prevent the influx of smuggled rice,” he added.
Source : Citinewsroom
